Uruguay faces toughest test of hopeful trio

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CHILE and Colombia look to have easier assignments than Uruguay considering reports that those two sides will face drastically weakened opposition in the final round of the South American qualifiers today.

Uruguay, Chile and Colombia can all finish in a position to face Australia in the World Cup play-off, but only Uruguay is set to face a full-strength team in the deciding matches.

Despite having already qualified, Argentina has crossed the River Plate to Montevideo with all its stars, including striker Hernan Crespo and playmaker Juan Riquelme. Argentine coach Jose Pekerman spurred on by historical animosity between Argentina and Uruguay, has kept his full squad together.

Ecuador and Paraguay, who, like Argentina, have qualified for the World Cup finals in Germany next year, will field second-string teams in their final matches, boosting the chances of Chile and Colombia respectively.

Paraguay is believed to be ready to make seven changes to the side that beat Venezuela last weekend and has already allowed key forwards Nelson Haedo (Werder Bremen) and Roque Santa Cruz (Bayern Munich) to return to their clubs in Germany. Diego Gavilan and Carlos Gamarra are also suspended.

Ecuador coach Luis Fernando Suarez has stated he will be taking a "B" team to Santiago for the match against Chile. Suarez has indicated at least five key players — skipper Ivan Hurtado, strikers Ivan Kaviedes and Augustin Delgado, as well as Edison Mendez and Luis Valencia — will not play against the Chileans.

All three decisive matches will be watched by Football Federation Australia scouts, among them the Canberra-based trio of Oscar Langone, Victor Fernandez and former Socceroos defender Andy Bernal. Socceroos coach Guus Hiddink has his own network of scouts in South America.

If either Uruguay or Chile qualifies for the Oceania/South America play-offs, the Socceroos will be based in Buenos Aires in the lead-up to the first leg on November 12. If Australia's opponent is Colombia, the Socceroos will have their preparations in Miami.

Until recently it had been expected that Colombia would stage the home leg in the northern city of Barranquilla, where heat and humidity are the main issues. However, a poor crowd and cool weather for last weekend's World Cup match against Chile is believed to have prompted a change of thinking, and the chances of the play-off being moved to the capital, Bogota, where altitude is a factor, have increased.

DECIDING WHO AUSTRALIA PLAYS

Australia plays the fifth-placed South American team on November 12 at a venue to be decided with the return match in Sydney on November 16.

The opponent will be URUGUAY if in today's final matches:Uruguay wins; Uruguay draws, Colombia draws or loses, Chile draws or loses; Uruguay and Colombia lose, Chile draws or loses; Uruguay loses, Colombia and Chile play draws